The 2021 NFL Draft has concluded, and the New England Patriots made some major headlines.
They made one of the most notable moves in the first round by taking Alabama quarterback Mac Jones with the No. 15 pick, staying put and ending up with a new signal caller. Bill Belichick and the New England front office then addressed the defensive line, backfield and more with an eight-player class.
Here's a recap of the Patriots' draft:
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Patriots round out draft with selection of Tre Nixon at No. 242
The Patriots used their last pick of the 2021 NFL Draft on Central Florida wide receiver Tre Nixon.
The 6-foot-2, 180-pound wideout hauled in 40-plus catches in 2018 and 2019 before collecting 19 receptions for 260 yards and two touchdowns in four games with the Knights last season.
Nixon was the only receiver the Patriots took in this year's draft. They brought in Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne in free agency, along with tight ends Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry, to overhaul their aerial attack with Jones in the fold.
New England Patriots
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Patriots draft William Sherman at No. 197 overall
New England selected Colorado offensive tackle William Sherman with the 197th pick in the draft. The Patriots have gone to Boulder, Colo., to draft offensive linemen before, notably taking Nate Solder with the 17th overall pick back in 2011.
Sherman was a second team All-Pac-12 selection in 2020 for the Buffaloes, who went 4-2 in a shortened season. He will likely compete for a backup spot on the Patriots' retooled offensive line. Despite losing Joe Thuney and Marcus Cannon this offseason, New England brought back Trent Brown in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders and notably kept David Andrews at center in free agency.
Patriots take S Joshuah Bledsoe at No. 188
The Patriots selected Missouri safety Joshuah Bledsoe with the No. 188 overall pick in the sixth round. Bledsoe finished the 2020 season with 41 tackles and one interception. Standing at 5-foot-11, Bledsoe is projected as a physical player that performs very well in the run game and is capable of filling the depth at nickel safety for New England.
Patriots take LB Cameron McGrone at No. 177 overall
The Patriots added a linebacker from Michigan in Cameron McGrone with the No. 177 overall pick in the fifth round. McGrone had a notable 2019 campaign, finishing with nine tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and 65 total tackles. McGrone is a very good run stopper but will need to improve in coverage. The speedy middle linebacker is projected to be a solid pick for the Patriots.
Patriots take Oklahoma running back at No. 120
The Patriots selected their second Sooner, drafting Rhamondre Stevenson from Oklahoma in the fourth round with the No. 120 overall pick. He becomes the fourth running back from OU to be drafted in the last four years. At 6-foot, 231 pounds, Stevenson finished his college career with 13 TDs, 28 receptions (298 yards) and 1,180 rushing yards.
Winners and losers from Day 2 of the 2021 NFL Draft
Patriots take Oklahoma defensive end at No. 96
The Patriots took another player on the defensive line with the 96th pick.
After addressing the interior defensive line in the second round, New England selected Oklahoma defensive end Ronnie Perkins in the third round. The 6-foot-3, 247-pound pass rusher tallied five-plus sacks in each of his three seasons with the Sooners. He finished his college career with 5.5 sacks in just six games in 2020 -- and the team won each contest.
Perkins is just the latest addition to the Patriots' defensive end group. They also signed Matt Judon to a four-year deal in free agency as Belichick clearly seeks more firepower to wreak havoc for opposing QBs.
Patriots trade up to No. 38, select another Alabama player
The Patriots made some early noise on Day 2 of the draft. They moved up from No. 46 to No. 38, sending Nos. 122 and 139 to Cincinnati.
With the No. 38 selection, New England brought in one of Jones' Alabama teammates: Christian Barmore. The 6-foot-5, 310-pound defensive tackle was named an AP third-team All-American in 2020 after piling up 37 tackles, eight sacks and three forced fumbles. He became the first defensive tackle selected in the 2021 draft.
The Belichick-Nick Saban connection is stronger than ever after the Patriots used their first two selections on Alabama stars. Barmore even said after the selection that the Patriots were his favorite team growing up because of how New England resembled Alabama with its NFL dominance.
2021 NFL Draft grades: Jets, Bills top AFC East report card
Round 1 of the 2021 NFL Draft was a good one for the AFC East as the division was responsible for six of the first 32 selections. The New York Jets grabbed BYU QB Zach Wilson with the No. 2 overall pick and also added Alijah Vera-Tucker, an offensive lineman from USC, with pick No. 14. While Justin Fields slipped away, the Patriots were able to stay focused and draft Jones, one of the top five quarterbacks in this year's class, with the No. 15 overall pick. The Bills finished out the AFC East's first-round picks with Gregory Rousseau from the University of Miami at No. 30.
Patriots select Mac Jones with 15th pick
The Patriots have a new heir apparent to Tom Brady.
After talk about potentially trading up or even waiting for the second round to take a QB, New England selected Jones with the No. 15 pick Thursday night. He was the fifth quarterback off the board, following Trevor Lawrence, Wilson, Trey Lance and Fields. The pick marks the first time Belichick has drafted a first-round quarterback.
Jones put up preposterous numbers last season with the Crimson Tide, posting 4,500 yards, 41 touchdowns and just four interceptions en route to a national title. Two of his targets, Jaylen Waddle and Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith, were also selected before him Thursday night.
Jones joins Cam Newton and Jarrett Stidham in the Patriots' quarterback room.
2021 NFL Draft winners, losers: How Patriots, others fared on Day 1
Zach Wilson, Jaylen Waddle join AFC East
A pair of division rivals added marquee offensive players in the first six selections Thursday night. The New York Jets took Wilson with the No. 2 overall pick while the Miami Dolphins took Alabama wideout Waddle at No. 6 overall. Belichick's defense will have to prepare for much more firepower when facing those two teams over the foreseeable future.
49ers draft Trey Lance at No. 3 overall
The 49ers selected Lance out of North Dakota State with the No. 3 pick after trading three first-round picks to move up from No. 12 in a deal with the Dolphins on March 26. While the 20-year-old signal caller is full of potential, the decision could convince the team to hold onto Jimmy Garoppolo since Lance may not be able to start Week 1. Had the 49ers selected Jones, they might have been more inclined to move off Garoppolo and hand the keys to the former Alabama QB.
Patriots-Garoppolo trade not expected 'anytime soon'
All eyes have been on the Patriots as a potential trade destination for Garoppolo since the 49ers made a blockbuster trade to move up from No. 12 to No. 3 in the draft. Though a reunion may have seemed inevitable, Ian Rapoport reported just before Thursday's Round 1 that a deal is not expected to happen "tonight or anytime soon" and that even if the two teams came to terms there would have to be a contract negotiation for the quarterback. Rapoport also mentioned "never say never," but with both sides selecting quarterbacks in the first round, a deal surely does not seem likely, let alone imminent.
Max Molski and Marsha Green contributed to this story.